Ali Fazal: Every role landed shows that inclusion is practiced

Readying for the release of Kandahar that sees him with Gerard Butler, Ali says his career signifies how Hollywood has embraced colour-blind casting

First Rome, now Cannes, and finally London. Ali Fazal is on a whirlwind tour as he promotes his upcoming film, Kandahar, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. “I move to some press junkets in London next. It’s an exciting time. Kandahar is a big-ticket movie, and now, we are waiting for the audience’s nod,” he says, squeezing in a chat with us, in his hectic schedule.    

Director Ric Roman Waugh, who has previously helmed Angel Has Fallen (2019), brings an action thriller with the Gerard Butler and Fazal-starrer. Kandahar, which releases in the US tomorrow, is another win for Fazal who has been steadily making inroads into the West since fronting Victoria & Abdul (2017). In the past six years, he admits there has been a dynamic shift in the casting of actors. “Every role landed, every audition cracked proves that inclusion is actively practiced. Hollywood is not shying away from using people from across the globe. Actors can dive into any part, and geography shouldn’t stop us.” 

Be it Priyanka Chopra Jonas leading Citadel, or Fazal playing a key role in the upcoming actioner, these are prime examples of how Hollywood is embracing inclusivity. Fazal says that with many stories being culturally agnostic, it enables the makers to cast actors from diverse countries, thus making colour-blind casting a common practice. “Sometimes, specific roles are designed for a particular ethnicity. But in other cases, Hollywood’s colour-blind casting is the reason all of us can share notes [on our craft] on a global scale. [Such projects] open doors for talent from India to be highlighted. I’m happy to be a part of this change.” 

What adds to his excitement is that Kandahar sees him attempt action again after Mirzapur. While the series is dominated by gore and violence, the film goes the slicker route — imagine adrenaline-pumping bike chases, and gun fights. “Since Mirzapur, action has become a genre that I enjoy. Here, the sensibilities are different. We have the same makers [Thunder Road Pictures and Capstone] as the John Wick franchise. So, the action is slick, with lots of gun fights. We had suave action directors, and safety was their primary concern. The tougher the stunts, the more elaborate our safety manual was.”

Also Read: Ali Fazal sports a rugged look in the first look poster of 'Kandahar'

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